Mike Ashley is still believed to be mulling over his options after an approach from the Middle East as takeover talk dominated the agenda on Tyneside.
Ashley is still to come to an agreement on the sale of the club as fans wait to see how the latest takeover story develops.
United or the Ashley camp have not denied that the talks with a powerful Saudi investment group have taken place.
But it’s understood that they aren’t the only consortium who have held talks with Ashley and his close aide Justin Barnes in recent times, with at least one unnamed party getting around the table with the Toon owner.
Ashley returned from an overseas business trip yesterday and was believed to have been irked that talks with a Middle East consortium had leaked out to media outlets as far afield as the United States.
Questions in the Ashley camp have been asked of Amanda Staveley’s involvement with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth-fund, but sources close to the deal insist they wanted somebody with knowledge of English football to front the deal.
It was Staveley who played a big part in Man City’s takeover deal when Sheikh Mansour transformed the face of the Premier League.
And PIF’s funds can’t be questioned given that is one of the richest men on the planet.
But there are fears that the talks could still collapse because the story has leaked into the media remain.
United have maintained their silence and continued a “no comment” status.
